Nature Moncton Nature News: Dec 5 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, 5 December 2020 (Saturday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Catherine Clements

Info Line #: 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

**Mitch Doucet shares the photo he got of a BLACK-HEADED GULL [Mouette rieuse] while on the regular Thursday outing with les Ami.e.s de la nature. It was with a dozen BONAPARTE'S GULLS [Mouette de Bonaparte] off Route 955 near civic number 1141 in Botsford (Murray Corner). The red legs and the red on the bill show nicely, to readily differentiate it from a Bonaparte’s Gull.

**Daryl Doucet is one of the many this year very much enjoying the colourful morning greeting of a flock of EVENING GROSBEAKS [Gros-bec errant] on the deck of his Moncton home. Daryl also has an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH [Chardonneret jaune] coming to his feeder area with a sharply defined white patch on its crown. It could be an area of albinism, but sometimes wounded areas will be replaced with white feathers.

**We mentioned yesterday about not seeing as many reddish-pink adult males among flocks of PINE GROSBEAKS [Durbec des sapins]. John Massey sends a photo that he took in his yard in 2008 that shows just the opposite, with predominantly adult males in a flock visiting his Dieppe feeder yard.

**Jane LeBlanc appreciated a visit from two GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS [Roitelet à couronne dorée] on Friday, making her quarantine period after necessary travel to Ontario a bit more enjoyable.

****Kevin Renton reports the number of PINE GROSBEAKS and EVENING GROSBEAKS continue to swell at their Stilesville feeder yard along with all the expected regulars to look like it will be a very lively feeder yard winter ahead.

**Aldo Dorio notes the COMMON REDPOLL [Sizerin flammé] numbers in Neguac appear to be swelling. He did note and photograph one noticeably lighter than the rest of the flock. The HOARY REDPOLL [Sizerin blanchâtre] is much lighter in colour, and often seems to have a smaller punched-in beak. There has been discussion in the literature whether the so-called Hoary Redpoll is really a separate species or is the subspecies of the Common Redpoll, or even a variation. I’m calling this bird a Common Redpoll, but stand to be corrected.

nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Nelson Poirier, Nature Moncton